KATHMANDU: Children under five years of age across the country will be administered Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (BOPV) instead of Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (TOPV) during the anti-polio drop campaign on April 10 and May 15.

Dr RP Bichha, director of Child Health Division under The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), said, BOPV vaccines are being administered this time as P2 polio virus has not been seen in polio patients in the country. TOPV is administered only when all the three polio viruses-P1, P2 and P3-are confirmed in patients.

"Vaccination against vaccine-preventable diseases is essential to achieve the Millennium Development Goal

on reducing mortality rate of the

under-five-year-old population" said Dr RP Bichha.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has given Nepal a target of eradicating polio from the country by 2012.

During 2005-2008, the country recorded 18 new cases whereas the figure in 2009 was nil.

Minister for Health and Population Uma Kanta Chaudhary today inaugurated the 12th National Polio Immunisation Campaign by administrating anti-polio vaccines to 10 children at Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, Thapathali.

Around 39,907 booths are established and some 79,814 volunteers will be deployed for the campaign throughout the nation. One polio booth has been established for one VDC while two such booths will be there in every municipality.

The ministry aims to immunise 4,466,960 children nationwide.